Yesterday evening I was relaxing in the cockpit under a fan - reading my book. It was calm, quiet and a little bit cool. I decided it would be a good time to paddle the dinghy down the creek and do a little exploring. I started getting things ready to go. Some fellows came along with a huge bucket of fish and commenced cleaning them at the end of the dock. They threw all the left over fish bits into the water. Gulls came out from everywhere to eat the fish. A few minutes later the alligators started arriving too. I watched as no less than six huge alligators made their way from the tall grassy swamp across the creek. Somehow a gull got hurt and was trying to climb up onto the dock... too late. Despite his efforts a huge alligator swallowed him in one gulp! Now that's not something you see every day - or really ever want to see again.

I quickly decided against the dinghy ride! Instead I spent a lot of time watching the alligators. They are sneaky creatures. I saw each of them when they came out of the grasses, but I only saw two of them go back. The rest either swam back unnoticed (maybe underwater) or were still hanging out under the dock behind my boat. I was not terribly comfortable about any of this!

It's also sort of weird being docked right next to a restaurant that overlooks your boat. The place was packed and everything I did all evening was in clear view of the diners. I felt like the evening's entertainment. After a while I decided to take my book and walk around to the marina's front porch - which overlooks the parking lot. A least there was a cool breeze and a very comfortable Adirondack chair surrounded by a beautiful, fragrant flower garden. Were it not for the mosquitos (which held no regard for repellent) it would have been perfect.

This morning I took an early, long walk down the road headed the opposite direction of town. The St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge is just a couple of blocks away. It was too early for it to be open - but I'm planning to head back over there at lunch and take a look around.

More to report later.....

Meanwhile --- Happy Fourth of July to all my friends at Redbud! If the rum bottle is going around the dock - take an extra swig for me! I miss you guys!